Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
by CMG Kathleen S.
A butterfly enjoying the Pride of Barbados by CMG Cheryl
The Pride of Barbados is an elegant plant. Its potential height is 5 to 8 feet tall. The leaves are blue-green and fernlike. The blooms are a magnificent orange and yellow with red stamens. These blooms are bowl shaped usually 2 to 3 inches across. It prefers direct sunlight and, as long as all of its’ growing conditions are met, it will bloom until frost. Be sure to cut off the dead blossoms because many seedpods will develop. This will encourage more blooms and most importantly discourage volunteers from sprouting.
Pride of Barbados makes a statuesque addition to the back row of any garden or as the centerpiece of a landscape. It will tolerate being close to hot pavement and between a foundation and a walkway. However, the stems and branches have sharp spines. It is deer resistant, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, tolerates high temperatures and is a Texas Superstar®
Pride of Barbados with a bee enjoying the nectar by CMG Cheryl
Erosion control is also a use for this plant. Pride of Barbados can grow quickly and will need periodic pruning.
Comal County is in zone 8b and in our county Pride of Barbados is a perennial that freezes to the ground. Further south, this plant is a deciduous shrub. The botanical name is Caesalpinia Pulcherrima with pulcherrima meaning “very pretty”. Pride of Barbados is a member of the Fabaceae family of peas. It is referred to by other names including Mexican Bird of Paradise, Barbados Flowerfence, Peacock Flower, Caesalpinia, Dwarf Poinciana and Dwarf Flamboyan.
Pride of Barbados by CMG Ronnie
Once the Pride of Barbados bloom is spent, a seed pod, much like a peapod is formed. These “peapods” will eventually open allowing the seeds to fall out. Caution is required. The seeds contain tannic acid. Tannic acid is toxic to both humans and pets.
Pride of Barbados seed pods by CMG Cheryl
The major requirement for growing Pride of Barbados is well-drained soil. While it can tolerate different soil types, it prefers sandy, loamy, well drained soil. When planting be sure to add organic matter to the soil such as compost. Apply mulch around the base of the plant. Once this plant is established, it is fairly drought tolerant. Yellowing leaves are a symptom of too much or too little water.
The most common pests are aphids which can be treated with neem oil or an insecticidal soap. Protection from strong winds or staking may also be necessary. If the plant becomes leggy, it probably is not getting enough sunlight.
There is a similar plant. Caesalpinia gillesii has solid yellow blooms, tends to be less bushy and is more able to deal with frost. There is also a Pride of Barbados which has pink blooms.
Pride of Barbados is the national plant of the Island of Barbados and it appears on the Islands’ flag and coat of arms. The presence of this plant can be traced on the island back to the 1700’s. Merchant ships carried plants to other Caribbean islands. There are a couple of YouTube videos to watch; Lauren Lee How to Grow Pride of Barbados from Seed and Craig Moser Pride of Barbados plant Central TX exotic gardens.
References: mygardenlife.com, centraltexasgardener.org, plants.ces.ncsu.edu, plantpropagation.org, bexar-tx-tamu.edu, nationalopedia.com, davesgarden.com